Connecting Parallel
by Jeuel
Summary: Lucy had everything she could ever wanted but nothing she really needed. Gray, on the other hand, lost everything he ever needed which sparked the flame of hatred inside his heart and all he wanted since then was vengeance. They are two completely opposite people from two different societies yet fate came in and connected their parallel world.
1. I Red String

**isclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or any of its characters. Everything belongs to Hiro Mashima.**

* * *

 _ **SUMMARY**_

Lucy had everything she could ever wanted –dresses, jewelries, and power; name it, she has it all –but nothing she really needed. Gray, on the other hand, lost everything he ever needed which sparked the flame of hatred inside his heart and all he wanted since then was vengeance.

They are two completely opposite people from two different societies yet fate came in and connected their parallel world.

* * *

 _ **I. RED STRING**_

 _He didn't know how it started but by the time he woke up in the middle of the night, blazing fire started devouring his entire house, his home. He jumped out of his bed and dashed to his parent's side, screaming and shouting their names while avoiding the fire that tried to eat him._

" _Mom! Dad! Where are you?!" He shouted through the halls he passed yet no one answered him. Silence filled the air and all he could hear was the sound of the woods burning into ashes. He tried to call for help again but all his efforts were fruitless._

 _No one answered him. No one heard him._

 _Panic started rushing inside him as the smoke of the burning fire begun to hurt his eyes and throat._

" _Mom! Dad! Where are you?!" He yelled again and again._

 _After passing by an open door, his eyes grew large with disbelief and his feet wouldn't even budge. His body stiffened and bile started climbing up his throat as he saw glimpse of the maids that took care of him since the day he was born until earlier this evening–lying dead and burning on the ground._

 _He stumbled to the floor, looking terrified. "What is this?" He clutched his head as tears began to fall, feeling his sanity slowly diminish. "What's happening? Why is this happening?" He sat there for who knows how long, petrified to the ground._

" _M-Mom… D-Dad… Where are y-you?" The young Fullbuster sobbed as he slowly stood up, more determined to find his parents. He wanted to vomit, to forget this horrible night yet he knew deep inside that he must live through it; that he must survive this haunted nightmare no matter what happens._

 _Even though it suffocated him, he continued to look for his missing parents. He ran through the halls, searching every room he could enter while avoiding the falling debris he once called home. He kept on thinking that once he reached his parent's quarter, everything will be fine and they can all escape the blazing mansion, together. However, everything was not as he expected it would be._

 _Once he entered their room, raging fire welcomed him, trapping his parents with not a single escape route to be found._

" _Mom! Dad!" Gray screamed to get his parents attention, worry painted on his face._

 _Seeing their son in one piece even though he has a lot of scratches and dirt on him made the parents sigh a breath of relief._

" _Gray!" His mother, Mika Fullbuster, shouted. "Run! Get out of here!" She ordered._

" _No way! I can't! I won't leave you behind!" Gray shouted as tears begun to stream down his face. He tried to pass the fire but the heat just burned his skin, hurting him in the process. "Ouch!" He cried in anguish._

" _Gray, please listen to me!" His mother shouted again as tears rolled down her cheeks. "Leave, Gray. Please. Your father and I can't escape anymore, so go and get out of here, Gray!"_

" _No! I already said I won't!" Gray replied stubbornly, trying to cross the blazing fire once again but alas, his attempt was futile. He looked around, searching for another way out while ignoring the pleas of his sobbing mother._

" _Gray-!" His mother was cut off by another voice –powerful and authoritative yet calm and gentle at the same time._

" _Gray, listen." His father, Silver Fullbuster, ordered. "If I promised you that your mother and I will safely get out of here, will you go and make your escape now?" His father proposed with such a calm tone, making everything that's happening around them seem so ordinary; like there was no fire ready to devour them any minute._

 _Gray was speechless. He couldn't think of anything but their safety. He felt so powerless, so weak. He clenched his fist into a ball, frustration seeping through his veins yet with no other choice he sternly replied, "I'll go! But promise me you'll come out safely!"_

" _We will, Gray." His father promised with a tiny sad smile plastered on his face. "Now get going, son! We'll meet you later outside the mansion."_

 _Gray hesitated but with one last look at his father, Gray knew he couldn't argue with Silver anymore. His heart, mind and body didn't want to go; saying that if this is where it's going to end then might as well end it together yet, a part of his conscience ordered him to move and get out of the place._

 _With a last tear and a forced smile, Gray shouted, "I'll see you on the other side, Mom! Dad! I'll wait for you…" He suddenly halted, making his parents worry. "I'll wait for you forever!" He shouted at the top of his lungs before dashing through their fire-engulfed mansion._

 _He ran non-stop even though the smoke-filled air suffocated him; although the burning air hurt his eyes because right now, his entire mind was only focused on the thought of him escaping the wretched place he once called home._

 _Looking around, he continued to search for an opening or something that would lead him to the outside world. He dashed through the hallways and down the stairs but their main door was blocked. "Damn it!" Gray cursed and ran to another direction._

 _As sweat dripped down his face and air became thin, the young Fullbuster saw a window and dashed through it, making the glass window to shatter in to a million pieces. He stumbled to the snowy ground as shards of broken glass cut him in numerous places. He was so exhausted, so in pain but most of all, he was so concerned about his parents._

 _Although his father promised they'll safely get out of there, he knew deep inside that there was no chance of escape yet, he left them there to burn into ashes. And now, here he is, alive and breathing. He was alive because he left his parents there to die. And now he's there on the cold ground, crying, choking and most of all, regretting the action he made._

" _I-I'm sorry… I'm sorry…" Gray repeatedly cried. "M-Mom… D-Dad!" He continued to call out his dying parents' names. "Mom! Dad! I promise! I'll wait for you… I'll wait for you forever!" He curled on the freezing white ground, punching it with an enormous amount of anger and pain._

" _I'm sorry… I-I'm sorry…" He cried all night until exhaustion caught up to him. "I love… you." Gray whispered before darkness and the sound of burning wood completely overcame him, sending him to an almost eternal sleep._

* * *

 _14 years later…_

Shining through the window, the rays of the setting sun illuminated a single young man sitting by the end of his bed while clutching a sword pendant. Clad in dark clothing, Gray Fullbuster was so focused in readying himself for their mission tonight which caused him to not realize that a beautiful lady was approaching his dark room.

"You don't have to this, Gray." She stated as she leaned her curvaceous body on Gray's doorframe. Surprised by the sudden presence of his "big sister", Gray immediately stood up and greeted her with a sad smile.

"I know, Ultear." He answered. "I don't have to do this but if I don't, we're not the only ones who will suffer the way we did." He continued, seriousness etched in his features. "And if I –no, we –don't move now, nothing will change and many others will continue to become victims of _their_ corruption. We can't let that happen, Ultear."

Ultear smiled sadly as she made her way to the handsome grown up man in front of her. She cupped his face and said, "You've truly grown in to a wonderful man, Gray." She drew circles round his cheeks and continued. "If they –Ul, your mom and dad –could see you now, they would've been so proud of you. _I_ am so proud of you, Gray."

"Thank you, Ultear." He finally smiled – a true smile indeed.

"You are truly welcome, Gray." She smiled genuinely. "But please, please, promise me you'll all come home safely; that none of you will get hurt or do anything stupid." Gray was slowly drifting to her soft touch when suddenly he yelped in surprise. Ultear had pinched Gray's cheeks and stretched it to its limits. "Or else, don't even think of coming back home!" She sternly warned him and the only thing Gray could do was nod his head in agreement.

Right then and there, Gray was reminded of how scary Ultear Milkovich truly is.

After putting his reddened cheeks in a horrible experience, Ultear shoved Gray to his bedroom door. Confused of such action, Gray looked back to Ultear and raised an eyebrow.

"Go." She ordered. "Everyone's waiting for you outside."

After answering his unspoken question, Gray smiled and bid his good bye. "Thanks, Ultear. See you later." He waved and walked out the door, down the stairs and passed through the front door to meet his accomplices, leaving Ultear on her own.

Walking to one of the windows in the room, Ultear gazed at the retreating backs of the young boys he treated as her own younger brothers. With a sad look on her beautiful face, Ultear whispered for only her to hear, "Please come home safely."

* * *

" _Gray, Lyon, get out of there now!"_ Hibiki Lates, a friend of the two mentioned guys, screamed through the microphones in their ears, panic rushing inside of him.

Both men –Gray Fullbuster and Lyon Vastia –immediately packed their things, shoving every device inside their bags and rushed to the door of Jude Heartfilia's bedroom. Although they thought the coast was still clear, the sounds of feet hitting the floor proved them wrong. Just around the corner, a mob of muscular guards came running towards them. "Shit!" screeched Lyon. They've never expected that there would be more guards hired just for this one-time event.

"Hibiki, what's happening?" Gray questioned as they try to escape the incoming flocks of guards. They sped through the long corridor; however, once they reached the end, a new batch of angry pursuers welcomed them. Luckily, before the Heartifilia's bodyguards could lay their fingers on them, Lyon immediately pulled Gray into a dark room –hiding like small trapped rats.

"Shit!" Gray cursed through gritted teeth as he locked the door and helped Lyon barricade it with their bodies.

"Open this door!" one of the guards ordered as they continued pounding on the locked door.

The slamming of the door continued for a whole minute until Lyon's foot suddenly slipped making him lose his balance. "Damn it!" He cried, exhaustion catching up to him. "Hibiki!" He shouted through the earpiece, asking for help. "Get us out of this goddamn place!"

 _"I'm working on it already!"_ Hibiki answered back, continuously tapping on his laptop for more escape routes. Maps after maps after maps appeared on his screen; however, the only thing he could do is click his tongue out of frustration. _"Just give me a minute!"_ He shouted.

"We don't have a minute, Hibiki!" Gray argued. They should've known that this mission would be the hardest one for most of the nobles, politicians and other people with names would be here. That just means that more guards will be hired just to protect these lecherous wolves cloaked in sheep's fur.

 _"Just give me a second."_ Hibiki responded, dabbing his keyboard a little more. _Bingo!_ Hibiki screeched. _"Ok, get ready."_ He ordered with such a serious tone which made Lyon and Gray shut their mouths. _"Lyon, rather than barricading the door with your body. Find something heavier that could be a substitute for yourself. Then, open up the ventilation with the screwdriver packed in your bag."_ As Hibiki continuous to voice out his orders, Gray and Lyon diligently followed.

 _"Next, Gray."_ Gray perked up at the sound of his name. _"Hold up the door for a couple more second until Lyon has opened the ventilation."_ Hibiki instructed as he tapped his computer some more.

As Lyon did what was ordered of him, the guards restlessly slammed their bodies to the door, making Gray hiss. "Hurry up, Lyon!" He barked.

Tuning out the noise around him, Lyon fully devoted his concentration at the task at hand. "Just a little more…" Lyon mumbled, sweat dripped down his forehead as he continuously tried to unlock the aeration.

Suddenly, with a few more twist of the screwdriver, he finally opened their escape route. "Gray, it's open!"

Slowly, Gray left the door and followed Lyon inside the ventilation. As they crawled their way in, they could still hear the banging of the door.

They continued to crawl through the ventilation until they were far away from the storage room they were a couple of minutes ago. After a while, Lyon found an opening and he kicked his way out and jumped down to the floor, followed by Gray.

They were completely sweaty and was glad that they were finally out of that cramped space.

They continued to roam around the room they've entered, familiarizing themselves through the darkness and trying to locate the light switch. Once Gray have turned on the lights, they both flinched from the sudden brightness of the area. Accustoming themselves of the place they were in, they realized that they were inside a lady's room.

Gray walked around the room and suddenly stumbled across a picture on a study table. It was an image of a lady next to a blonde man. They looked like the same age as Gray or maybe near his age –younger by a year or two? But clearly, adoration was both evident in their eyes.

"Gray, let's go!" Lyon suddenly cried from the outside the room, ready to leave and make their escape.

"Be there in a sec." Gray replied as he stumbled across the picture in his hands.

Before they began their mission, every single one of them vowed to not leave any traces behind during their escape or the entire mission. Whether they vowed or not, it was already a given that once they leave evidences of their trespassing, every single one of them, and not only them but also their families, would be accused in the involvement of their little stunt.

As Gray left the bedroom, not a single guilty came over him after he committed such a dire action that could endanger not only his life but also his friends'.

* * *

"Ladies and gentlemen, if you may please calm down." Jude Heartfilia, the head of the Heartfilia household and the father of Lucy Heartfilia, grabbed the attention of all his guests. "I assure you that everyone in this mansion is safe from any harm. Our guards are taking care of everything and you may now proceed with the party. Please, don't let this mere _rats_ destroy your night."

Murmurs began spreading around the room and once the distressing mood of the Heartfilia's wealthy guests subsided, the music rose once more and the ballroom was instantly filled with a merry atmosphere. Everyone who was once concerned about the trespassers was now either engulfed with the conversations they're having or was now excitedly drank because of the much champagne they have consumed.

Just around the corner, Lucy Heartfilia, the daughter of one of the most powerful man in Magnolia, sighed as she gazed around the room with her soft brown eyes. Just as she was scanning the area, her eyes landed on a pair of familiar blonde men –her father and fiancé, chatting contently while each holding their own glass of champagne.

She smiled as she made her way to the veranda for a small breather. Everyone was having the best time of their lives; her fiancé was having a wonderful moment with her father and she was now finally happily engaged with her childhood sweetheart.

Nothing can make this night any better.

She hummed as she gazed at the shining stars above her when she suddenly heard loud thuds. Thinking it was the footsteps of the two men she loved most, she twirled around with a smile on her face ready to greet the two blonde men.

However, that smile shuttered to a frown when she couldn't recognize the two men standing before her.

They were both tall with well-built bodies. She observed that one has hair as white as snow and the other as dark as the midnight sky, completely contradicting each other. However, one particular guy caught her attention.

He was tall and has jet black hair yet she immediately disregarded it when she saw his dark blue eyes –his captivating deep oceanic eyes. He was panting like he had just run from a marathon, sweat covering his perfectly sculpted face. Nonetheless, if it wasn't for all the shouting and commotion happening above them, she wouldn't be able to stop herself from staring at this fine young man.

Lucy slowly stepped away, hoping not to make much noise however; luck was not on her side. Her shoes made a small clicking sound which shortly petrified her to place. When she looked up to see the mysterious men, blazing blue eyes met hers. She was so afraid and at that moment the only thing she can think of was to scream her lungs out.

However, even before she could utter a single sound, Gray had rapidly stood before her and pulled her to a dark corner beside the double door, hiding their presence from everybody else.

Panic engulfed her immediately as she continued to struggle against her captors. _What the hell is happening?_ She thought fearfully.

As she tried to wrestle her way out of her captor's embrace, Lucy noticed where the stranger's hand where at –one hand snaking around her curvaceous waist, the other covering her mouth. Nevertheless, with the close proximity of their bodies, she couldn't bring herself to push him away and stop blushing. She can completely hear his beating heart and for some unknown reason, it soothed her.

 _This is not the time for this, Lucy!_ She scolded herself.

Lucy looked up at the man unsurely and screeched when she realized that he was staring at her with a deadly glare.

"Make a single noise and I'll kill you." He threatened and that's when Lucy understood that disobeying him was totally out-of-the-question.

* * *

 _ **Jeuel's corner: Hey guyys! Jeuel here! Any GraLu fans out there? Ok so, I posted this fic years ago? I'm not really sure how long it has been since I took it down or the last time I visited this site but now that it's finally the start of my vacation, I posted it again. Anyway, I took it down because I have to focus on my academics. You know... all those reports, quizzes, projects, exams... and more exams that actually killed me and brought me back to life just to kill me again next academic year. Yes, because of those lovely things I have to stop writing fictions and some of the story plot just disappeared from my mind but I really love this story and I just don't want to suddenly abandon it after posting it so I took it down. I don't know if it made sense to you but it did to me...**_

 _ **Anyway, I hope you like this chapter! Jeuel out!**_


	2. II White Lies

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or any of its characters. Everything belongs to Hiro Mashima.**

* * *

 _ **II. WHITE LIES**_

Jude Heartfilia was -and still is -one of the most powerful man in the entire town of Magnolia. He was exceedingly famous; has more wealth than most people have his age and of course, the master of dominance. Nobody wants to cross the line of this man for he was an unstoppable force; a force to be reckoned with.

Inside the Heartfilia Residence, maids parted to the sides as the head of the house came passing by, his footsteps echoing through the hallways; sending chills down their spines. Next to him was his old friend and the father of his future son-in-law, Weisslogia Eucliffe, equally displaying an air of power and importance.

The two entered Jude's office room and suddenly, the chilling atmosphere dissipated however, seeing the two men together was an accurate signal for the servants to continue their preparations for another incoming ball, after all, they don't want to be scolded by the head honcho, or worst… _fired_.

"How could you let that happened?" Weisslogia argued, clearly disappointed at his old friend for his recklessness.

Furrowing his brow while pouring a glass of red wine for him and his guest, Jude Heartfilia let out an exasperated sigh as he faced the white-haired man before him, handing out the glass of alcohol. "You worry _too much_ , Weisslogia. Rest assured that none of them were able to get their dirty paws on the information."

" _I_ worry too much?" Weisslogia snarled at the younger man. "Do you realize how important this is, Jude? We'll lose everything if we're not careful!"

Taking a sip off his wine, Jude chuckled in reply. "Weisslogia, _if_ they did get their hands on that information, policemen should've burst through my door, yours and everyone involved yet, it has already been weeks and no reports were stated." He paused and took another sip off his alcohol. "Also, is this really the time to discuss this? Shouldn't we be talking about Sting and Lucy's wedding preparations instead?" He quirked an eyebrow, challenging the older man in front of him.

"No, it's not the time for this but I can't just ignore the fact that we were nearly caught! Jude, how could you be so careless?!" Weisslogia almost screamed, agitated by the fact that his friend was treating the issue so nonchalantly. "I can't believe that you let those rebels into your house so easily!"

Sighing, Jude pinched his nose bridge to calm himself down. "Something like that will not happen again, Weisslogia. Those _brats_ were just lucky enough to encounter the stupid guards I hired."

"Then hire smart ones, damn it!" Weisslogia exclaimed as he collided his fist with the coffee table, outraged. " _If_ my son, Sting, got involved in this business…" He began to threaten but was cut off by the other man in the room.

"And you'll do what?" Jude challenged, glaring at the older man in front of him. He may be younger but, between the two of them, they both knew who has more authority; who was more powerful. After all, in the world where they lived in, the one who has more supremacy _rules!_

Sighing, Weisslogia tried to relax his nerves. "What I'm trying to say is… I don't want to involve both our children in this."

"And we won't."

" _Fine_." Heaving a sigh, Weisslogia noticed that he has been doing this action quite a lot this past few weeks. "But if they get their hands on it, I _will_ drag you to hell with me, Jude."

Chuckling, Jude replied. "I assure you; no matter what those rats do, they will never get their hands on that information."

Quirking an eyebrow, Weisslogia curiously questioned. "And _how_ can you be so sure?"

Smirking, Jude Heartfilia replied. "Because they are mere _rats_ entering a trap."

* * *

The mansion was in a complete state of disarray as the many servants of the Heartfilia Residence bustled around every corner of the huge estate, after all, the grand ball was tonight and there are still many preparations to be taken care of.

Halfway down the hallway of the third floor, Lucy Heartfilia, the one and only daughter of Jude and Layla Heartfilia, continued to rummage her closet for an appropriate couture to wear that evening. Behind her stood Virgo, her trusted maid; suggesting dresses that might catch the blonde princess's interest.

Huffing, Lucy dropped another expensive gown to the ground and planted her hands on her curvaceous hips. "There's nothing for me to wear!" She shrieked, annoyed.

Displaying a stoic face yet her eyes gleamed with as much dejection as her princess, Virgo whispered. "I'm sorry, Princess. Will you punish me?"

Sighing exasperatedly, Lucy shook her head and slowly descended to the carpeted floor. "No, Virgo. I won't." She replied, hugging her knees to her chest. Not once in the years she had lived did she had a hard time finding the right dress for an occasion however, right at that moment, the only thing she could do was to continuously stare at her almost emptied closet and sat on her chaotic floor.

How can dressing up be _so_ hard?

Lucy sighed. The party was tonight and here she was gloomily gazing at her overly-large closet room. She should have prepared beforehand if she had known she was going to have a hard time locating a proper attire, but alas, whether she wanted to admit it or not, a raven-haired man with his deep oceanic eyes continued to pester her mind.

But, who was she kidding? Of course, she would _love_ to once again see those deep blue orbs of his.

Blushing, Lucy unconsciously furrowed her brows. _What are you thinking, Lucy Heartfilia? You're already engaged to Sting Eucliffe!_ Finally getting a grip, she suddenly slapped her cheeks and stood up, more determined to find the perfect dress for the ball tonight.

When picking up some of her cluttered gowns, her eyes suddenly caught the ends of an elegant midnight blue evening gown. It was a long beaded racerback dress with an illusion bodice. The dress doesn't have the most appealing color nor was it the most expensive however, the midnight blue continued to attract her, like it was pulling her to it; begging her to be used and be flaunted at the evening gala.

Was it just her or does it resemble the stranger's captivating azure eyes?

Grabbing the dress from its rack, Lucy felt its soft and smooth fabric. Her hands traced the silver lining around the waist part of the dress and perpendicular it. It was elegant, simple and… _beautiful_. How come it has only been now that she had seen the lovely gown?

" _Make a single noise and I'll kill you."_

" _See you soon, Lucy Heartfilia." Gray smirked and winked before jumping off the veranda they were hiding in, leaving a flabbergasted yet blushing blonde._

Making up her mind, she had finally found the perfect dress to wear for the night when she suddenly heard Virgo call out to her. "Princess, Sir Sting Eucliffe sent you a gift."

Virgo handed Lucy a huge white box with a soft ribbon, a letter attached to it.

 _When I saw this, it immediately made me think of you._

 _-S. Eucliffe_

Shortly after opening the box, Lucy dropped the box's lid, complete awe and amazement plastered in her face as she continued to stare at the most magnificent white dress she had ever seen.

* * *

"Any questions?" A handsome blue-haired man with stern brown eyes questioned. Gazing around the room, Jellal Fernandes can clearly see the will and determination oozing out of every occupant's body, ready to begin the mission. He nodded as a sign of approval before he reassured them, "This time, we won't fail." This time, for sure, they will come home _victorious!_

It had been weeks since their last attempt of infiltrating one of the most powerful families in the whole town and unfortunately -whether they were stubborn enough to accept the outcome or not -they _have_ failed. The moment they left the _stupid_ grand ball the aristocrats held, the bitter taste of coming home empty-handed stuck with them until now. They could never accept the fact that those old men and women bathing themselves in the money of the people they swore to serve -but never intended to -even have the audacity to throw such extravagant parties and yet all they do was stomped at the lesser fortunate people of the society; stealing the rest of what was left of them.

"Now, go and get ready." Jellal ordered sternly and all the people inside the room left. It is time to start making changes; to prove that even the weak _can_ fight and has the _right_ to fight. It's time to make a _revolution!_

One by one, the men left the meeting room, including Gray Fullbuster. Outside, waiting for him, was Ultear, her step-sister. "Gray." She greeted with a wavering smile; concern completely written in her face.

Smiling, Gray approached her and slowly patted her head. "Don't worry. We'll be fine." He assured her, knowing she was worried about not only him but everyone involved in doing the missions. "…And this time, we'll _win_."

She understands what Gray is feeling. He was hurt beyond repair but she also knew how lonely that place is. He needed someone to change his mind, to alter his reasoning in doing all of this; she wanted to help him herself yet she was very well aware that she wasn't the right person for the job.

She smiled, not knowing what else to do. "I know we will."

In return, Gray smirked and, once again, patted Ultear's head before walking off, just as Jellal came out of their meeting room.

Ultear smiled as she watched the retreating back of her younger brother.

"He grew up to be quite a young man." the blue-haired man whispered.

"He did." Ultear agreed with such a serene look on her face however, her brows suddenly furrowed and a snarl appeared on her features. "He grew up to be quite obstinate and stubborn which I really dislike."

Jellal, on the other hand, sweat dropped and chuckled awkwardly.

Silence engulfed them for a couple of seconds as they watched the young Fullbuster made a turn down the hall. "But they're going to be fine, right?" The purple-haired lady asked.

"Don't worry." Jellal answered. "They're strong."

And that's all Ultear needed to hear.

* * *

Elegant music burst with life throughout the Heartfilia's great hall as many aristocrats continuously flaunt their designer gowns and expensive suits while socializing with other high-end personalities, fake smiles and sugar-coated words thrown at each other's faces.

It was already an hour into the party as Lucy Heartfilia continued to plaster an achingly sweet smile at everyone who greeted her, a flute of champagne in her hand as she made small talks with the people she was passing by.

"You look stunning in your dress, Lady Lucy." One of their guest complimented.

"Thank you very much." She smiled, pleased that she did justice to the wonderful dress.

"That dress must have cost a fortune." And there it was, Lucy's brow twitched unnoticeably, the sweetened flattery dripping with venomous criticisms. In a world full of aristocrats, one must always ready themselves to handle numerous snakes for one single wrong move, one single wrong word and your whole reputation starts to crumble down. After all, they live in a society where lies and masks makes a person wealthy.

"I'm sorry." Lucy began, still plastering that sickeningly sweet smile. "But, I don't know how much this costs since, this was a lovely present from my _fiancé_ , Sting Eucliffe."

Noticing the scowl slowly forming on the younger lady's forehead, Lucy's smile grew an inch wider. One point for Lucy Heartfilia, zero for the pink haired lady!

"Lucy…" A new voice spoke.

Twisting around, Lucy came face-to-face with a handsome young man. There, standing behind her, was the heir of the Eucliffe family and her soon-to-be husband, Sting Eucliffe.

"Good evening, ladies." He greeted with pure elegance, making the blonde and pinkette blush.

Recovering from her trance, Lucy immediately lightened up. "Good evening, Sting. How are you?"

"I'm doing fine." He answered back, slowly snaking an arm around his fiancée's waist, pulling her closer. "Hello, Mary." He greeted, once again acknowledging the presence of the pinkette. "Is it alright if I steal my girl for the night?"

Blushing even more, Mary just nodded her head as she continued to eye the handsome Eucliffe before her, wishing that she was his fiancée.

Leading the way, -a hand still on Lucy's hips, guiding her in very turn -Sting whispered sweet nothings into the ear of his fiancée.

"Thank you for this amazing dress, Sting." She blushed as she fidgeted with the silk of her long evening gown.

"Anything for my girl." He whispered, kissing the younger blonde on the side of her head, making the other guests swooned at his small gesture. Giggling, Lucy titled her head at his shoulder, seeming comfortable at the moment when suddenly, a familiar looking man caught her gaze.

At the far corner of the room, stood the mysterious raven-haired man from weeks ago, wearing a midnight blue suit, looking as handsome as ever.

Following her line of sight, Sting curiously gazed at the other end of the room and two ladies -one petite and blue-haired, the other curvaceous and red-haired -welcomed his sight. Smiling affectionately, Sting pushed her off lightly. "Go greet Levy and Erza; I know you want to. I'll just go find Rogue and chat with him a little."

Nodding then, smiling as genuinely as she could, Lucy made her way to the end of the room; completely hiding the fact that her two friends weren't the one she was eyeing.

* * *

" _Gray,"_ Hibiki Lates called through the earpieces. _"stop being so stiff, will you?"_ He scolded while heaving an exasperated sigh.

Clicking his tongue, Gray whispered while fidgeting with the buttons of his dark navy suit, restraining himself from taking of the suit, then and there. "I'm _not_ stiff just… uncomfortable."

" _Well, stop being_ uncomfortable _and start mingling with this socialites and blend in."_ Hibiki barked.

Sighing, Gray grabbed a champagne flute and drank from it. "I'd rather die." He answered back, making the other man on the line groaned and most probably face palmed himself. "Also, why can't I pretend to be the guard?"

" _Gajeel has piercings."_ Well, that explains that. Gajeel would definitely stand out in a sea full of whispering vultures and sooner than later, their disguises would be uncovered which will result to another failed mission.

Taking another sip from his flute, emptying his glass, he felt a light tap on his shoulder. Gray turned around and was met with beautiful blonde lady clothed in a pure white chiffon dress.

The white evening gown fitted her body perfectly in every curve. The ends of the dress glided with her every step making her look like she's floating in the air and oh, the rhinestones woven around the waist of the dress uplifted her assets and her voluptuous curves.

"Good evening, _Gray_." She greeted, her brown orbs meeting his blue ones; pulling him out of his reverie.

Gray smirked, recognizing the young blonde before him. "Good evening, Miss _Lucy Heartfilia_." He slowly took her right hand and lifted it to his lips, putting a chaste kiss on Lucy's knuckles, tinting her cheeks with a soft pink color.

" _L-Lucy Heartfilia?!"_ Hibiki screeched, making Gray winced. _"Gray, you know the Heartfilia heiress?!"_

Letting go of her soft hand, Gray continued to ignore the hysterics of the dark blonde archivist on the other end. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your company, Miss Heartfilia? I'm sure there are more important people out there worthy of your attention."

Instead of backing out, Lucy smiled even sweetly. "Well, I witnessed a particularly lonely young man on the sidelines drinking a glass of champagne on his own and I thought, maybe he needed a little bit of a company."

In that moment, Lucy Heartfilia continued to eye the young man before her, challenging him to escape. But the instant he did, the blonde would immediately notice that there is something going wrong with the raven-haired.

Taking up her little provocation, Gray chuckled and placed his emptied flute at one of the waiter's tray. Hearing the soft sound of music, he slowly extended his arm and said, "Then, will you give me the _honor_ of dancing with you?"

Not wanting to back down, Lucy gave Gray the privilege of leading her to the dance floor, her hand softly placed on his arm. Once reaching the dance floor, Gray encircled his hand around Lucy's thin waist and held the other as Lucy placed her other hand on his shoulder. They slowly moved to the music, gracefully dancing to the soothing sound of the string quartet.

"I didn't know you can dance." She remarked offhandedly.

"Well, I wouldn't ask you if I couldn't." He retorted back, smirking. "Also, there are _a lot_ of things you don't know about me."

"Exactly."

Complete silence engulfed as they continued to dance through the music when suddenly, Gray unexpectedly twirled Lucy, surprising her in the process. She giggled, subduing the awkward atmosphere between them. "You look more beautiful when smiling."

"W-What?" Lucy let her mouth hang open.

"I said…" Gray began, chuckling afterwards. "It's unbecoming of a young lady to let her mouth hang open for flies to enter." He joked, causing Lucy to abruptly closed her mouth, making Gray laugh even more.

" _Sorry to disturb you, lover boy."_ Hibiki interrupted. _"But, it's time."_ Fortunately, -or in Gray's case, unfortunately -the music is fast approaching its end.

Unconsciously tightening his grip around Lucy's waist, Gray's features became serious which his blonde partner noticed immediately. "What's wrong?"

Returning back to the lovely lady in front of him, Gray smiled- one of his overly captivating smiles which made Lucy blush within seconds. "Nothing… I'm just captivated by your beauty, Miss Lucy Heartfilia."

That definitely melted her heart.

Hearing the music reached its end, Gray slowly backed away and released the blonde heiress from his grasp, bowing and once again, kiss her knuckles. "Thank you for that lovely dance, Lady Heartfilia."

" _Gajeel's waiting for you near the location, Gray."_ Hibiki informed through the earpiece.

Lucy was about to say something when suddenly a man came to view, blocking her from the retreating view the raven-haired man she was once dancing and having fun with.

"May I have this dance, Miss Heartfilia?"

"I'm sorry but…" She wasn't able to finish her sentence as she continued to follow the retreating back of her mysterious dance partner. She didn't want to admit it -especially because she was already engaged -but, she's really starting to like this enigmatic being. And the moment he left the dance floor, _disheartened_ her.

Maneuvering her voluptuous body through the crowded hall, her sight caught on Gray leaving the premise. Hurrying in her steps, she followed him through the huge doors, leaving the great hall and into the quiet and empty walkways.

"Gray!" She shouted, catching the attention of the said man.

" _You've got company."_ Hibiki whispered in a singsong tone.

Halting from his movements, Gray slowly turned, facing a huffing Lucy. "…Lucy?"

Straightening her posture, Lucy frowned, seriously gazing at the young raven-haired in front of her. "Where are _you_ going?" Every word dripping of suspiciousness.

Acting nonchalantly as possible, Gray smiled as he leisurely approach the young blonde. "I was looking for the bathroom."

"You've just _passed_ the bathroom, Gray."

"R-Really?" Gray stuttered. _Shit!_ "I haven't notice."

Awkward silence once again engulfed them as Gray averted his eyes, not looking at the beautiful blonde before him.

"Who _are_ you?" Lucy sternly questioned.

Smiling innocently, Gray answered. "I'm Gray."

" _Great answer, genius!"_ Hibiki commented exasperatedly.

 _Then, what would you say in this situation, you idiot?_ Gray really wanted to scream at Hibiki right now but he restrained himself.

"No." Lucy replied, placing her hands on her hips. "Who _exactly_ are you, Gray? And what do you want?!"

Seeming like he has nowhere to go, Gray sighed and lifted his hands, looking like he was surrendering. "Ok. Ok. I surrender." Gray stated, shocking not only Lucy but also the man on the other line of the earpiece.

" _Gray, what the hell do you think you're doing?!"_

"W-What?!" Lucy asked, her eyes widening. "What do you mean, _you surrender_?"

"It means _exactly_ what it means." Gray smiled. However, with just one look at his azure eyes, you can clearly see the sadness written all over it. "I surrender, Lucy Heartfilia."

"W-What do you mean, Gray?" Lucy whispered, continuously eyeing Gray as he moved to a nearby vase filled with lovely white roses. "I don't understand."

"Of course you don't, Lucy." Gray uttered, plucking one of the roses out of the expensive vase. Pulling out a handkerchief from his pocket, Gray wiped the excess water off of its stem and gradually approached the shocked blonde. "Why do you think I came here? Why do you think I snuck in your mansion weeks ago? Why do you think I'm here?"

Lucy quietened, signaling Gray to go on.

Now standing in front of her, Gray smiled genuinely -one hand holding the precious white rose, the other tucked away in his pocket. "I like you, Lucy Heartfilia."

" _What?!"_

"What?" Lucy couldn't believe it. Someone, some guy just confessed to her. It's not every day she gets confessed to -no, nobody even dared to approach her because she was the daughter of _Jude Heartfilia_.

"I like you, Lucy. Why do you think I'm here?" Gray smiled, finally taking out his hand from his pocket and scratching the back of his head. "Weeks ago, I snuck in to your mansion with my friend to just have a glimpse of you and I was really expecting to get myself caught, I mean, who wouldn't? You have guards in every corner of your house. But… what I didn't expect was to actually meet _you_ and tonight… well, tonight was just _magical_."

"So…" Lucy began, trying to intake as much information as she could. "You're my… stalker?"

On the other line of the earpiece, Gray clearly heard the burst of laughter coming from Hibiki Lates and, then and there, Gray took note that once he sees the said archivist, he would choke him to death. Laughing awkwardly, Gray sweat dropped. "I prefer the term, _secret admirer_ if you would please."

"Well, it's not a secret anymore." Lucy giggled.

Gray smirked, slowly lifting his hand and showing her the white rose in his hand. "I know it's not much and _definitely_ not mine," Lucy chuckled a little more. "but, I hope this rose can show you how _pure_ my love is for you."

 _May you continuously be innocent amidst all of this chaos._

Taking the rose, Lucy continued to look at Gray with surprise, still speechless and couldn't utter a single word. Smiling for the last time, Gray turned and began to walk off. Surprised, Lucy began to follow him again. "W-Wait! Where are you going?"

Gray turned and smiled. "I'm leaving. I don't want to get caught by your family's guards."

Smiling while clutching the white rose near her heart, she answered back. "Stay safe."

"I will." Gray began to turn but halted. "And Lucy, congratulations. You two are _perfect_ for each other." Then, he walked off, once again leaving a disheartened Heartfilia.

And that was the very first moment a greeting about her engagement saddened her.

* * *

" _You're quite the charmer, aren't you?"_ Hibiki teased, chuckling from the other line, making Gray groaned with frustration.

"Shut up will you!" He screamed, making Hibiki laughed even harder. Gray ruffled his raven hair as he made a turn. Reaching his line of sight was Gajeel, fully clothed in a black suit, standing stiff and guarded.

" _But I must say, you are a very good actor, Gray Fullbuster. You might actually have a chance in winning the Best Actor award."_

"Oh, just shut up and do your job, Hibiki!" Gray growled as he reached Gajeel's side. Whistling, Gray smirked and offhandedly teased the pierced man. "Wow… You cleaned up good."

Scowling, Gajeel crossed his arms above his chest. "What took you so long?!"

Opening his mouth, ready to answer his question with another teasing, he halted when he was immediately cut off by Hibiki, Gray frowned and averted his gaze, not meeting his companion's scrutinizing red orbs. _"Gray was chased by a beautiful blonde heiress who's completely head-over-heels for our resident iceman."_

Rather than teasing, Gajeel clicked his tongue and said, "I should have known you'd drank yourself with the presence of those idiotic aristocrats."

Hearing Gajeel's remark, a vein popped in Gray's forehead. "What did you just say, Metal Brain?"

"What did you just call me, Ice Bastard?"

Gray and Gajeel went head-to-head with their insults and was ready to punch the daylights out of each other when suddenly, the voice at the end of the line rang. "Stop it, you two. We didn't come here to fight; we came her to get proof!" Hibiki scolded.

Pushing their fight for later, they calmed themselves and began their mission. "I've already unlocked the door so, Hibiki locate where the information might be." Gajeel stated, informing the two men.

" _Ok!"_ Hibiki said in a singsong voice, tapping into his computer. " _Nothing seems out of place in this room however, there is a huge vault in one of the cabinets which might hold information that may or may not be of use to us but, it's better to check it."_ He said to the two men standing guard.

Gray and Gajeel nodded, listening to Hibiki's every word. Seeing that the coast was clear, they entered the unlocked room and went straight ahead to the cabinet Hibiki was talking about. After seeing the vault, Gajeel knelt down and slowly tried to unlock the metal vault, Gray standing as guard near the door.

Hearing the beeping of the metal box, Gray whipped his head and discovered that the other raven-haired man successfully opened the vault. Gajeel fisted out numerous papers and scanned its contents as Gray approached him.

Kneeling down beside the man, Gray took some more papers and began to read every word written in it, making his eyes bulge out and dropping his mouth open; speechless like his companion beside him.

"Hibiki…" Gray began, still scanning every word in the paper with trembling hands. "I think we found it."

* * *

 _ **Jeuel's corner: Hey guyys! Jeuel here! I'm back! So first off, I'm sorry this is soooo late. I have no excuse. Second, to everyone who followed, reviewed, favorited and supported my story, I thank you! This quite a long chapter (well, for me it is) and I hope you like it. I also replied to the reviews though to the guests who have and will review my future chapters, I will reply to you through my author's note. Don't be afraid to talk to me, I don't bite. Also, just a quick reminder, English is not my first language so I'm very sorry for all the errors I've committed in this chapter.**_

 _ **(Review Corner)  
Nique Hagan: Thank you for loving and supporting this story! I will continue to keep writing so you and the other readers could read it.**_

 _ **Anyway, I hope you like this chapter! Jeuel out!**_


	3. III Deep Blues

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or any of its characters. Everything belongs to Hiro Mashima.**

* * *

 _ **III. DEEP BLUES**_

 _"Gray!" His mother called, worry evident on her face. "Get out of here, Gray! Save yourself!" She ordered through the blazing fire that surrounds them._

 _Seeing his parents stuck in one place with nowhere to escape, Gray began stretching his arms out, trying to reach his parents however, the flames grew larger, preventing him from helping his beloved mother and father. "Ouch!" He cried as part of his arm caught on fire._

 _"Stop it, Gray!" His mother begged; now, tears streaming down her face. "Just leave us here! Save yourself, son!" She ordered. The only thing in her mind right now, was for her son to safely get out of this hell._

 _"I won't!" He answered back, defying the orders of his mother. He coughed, the smoke of the flames caught in his throat, preventing him from breathing properly. "I-I'm not leaving you!" His brows furrowed one more time, eyes analyzing whether he can jump over and not get caught in flames too much._

 _However, his eyes shifted immediately at his parents when he heard his mother's strained voice. "G-Gray." Mika Fullbuster forced out, her voice choking._

 _There before his eyes, just across the raging fire, stood a man gripping a sharp knife on his mother's neck. He couldn't recognize the older man since most of him was covered by the darkness but, he can feel it -the murderous intent of the man._

 _Suddenly, a figure caught his eyes. His orbs grew twice the moment he recognized the figure; there on the floor was a body covered in blood. Tears began to stream down his face more rapidly._

" _Dad!" He shouted. "Dad, wake up! Get up! Get up, dad!" He cried; his voice growing louder with every scream. But when his father didn't move, he confirmed that the man he wanted to be like; the man he admired the most was already dead -no longer breathing. "G-Get up, dad. Mom needs you… I-I need you."_

 _Silence befell them and all Gray could hear was the burning of the wood as the raging flames ate them, his whimpers as well as his mother's._

" _G-Gray…" She called out with her hoarse voice. The young Fullbuster slowly lifted his head but the moment his gaze landed on the other two people in the room, Gray's eyes grew in fear. "Get o-out of h-here…"_

 _"N-No!" He whimpered, not knowing else what to do. "Please, don't. Don't hurt her!" Tears streamed down his face as he reached his hands out however, the flames stood taller, preventing him from further approaching his parents._

 _The young Fullbuster was begging the man before him -it was the only thing he could do -yet, the older man only gave him a smile -a sinister and mocking smile. It was like he was telling the young Fullbuster that he was only a child and he could no longer do anything to save his mother. "You are weak." The man said before pressing the knife harder on his mother's neck, drawing a small amount of blood._

 _Gray's eyes widened. He was about to rash across the blazing flames, not caring whether it will burn him or not yet, he was too late. The man pulled the knife across his mother's throat, ending her life. "You should have listened to Mika, young Fullbuster." The man chuckled as he wiped the bloodied knife on his white handkerchief. "You should have run away the moment you saw the danger. After all, what can a small child like you do?"_

 _Gray could care less at what the man was saying. His parents are dead -dead because he couldn't do a thing. Maybe, the man was right. He is weak; he is merely a child so, what do you expect him to do? What_ can _a small child like him do?_

 _All he can do was cry; cry for the father he lost; cry for the mother he couldn't save but most of all, cry because he knew the man was right. He_ is _weak._

 _The man slowly moved toward him, leaving the comfort of the darkness that hid him. The moment he reached Gray, the young raven-haired froze. "Remember this, Gray. You are weak. You couldn't save your mother and your father from their death. It is your fault for letting them die."_

 _With all the bravery left in him -which was not much, to be honest, Gray nervously lifted his head to see his parents' killer. Deep blue eyes met dark onyx ones._

 _"Y-You're…" Gray choked as he recognized the older man from all the times he met him. "J-Jude… Heartfilia."_

 _"Exactly, Gray. But, that doesn't really matter right now." He said while tightening his grip on his knife. "What matters right now, is that your parents are dead and it's your fault, young man. You let your parents be killed. You didn't do anything to save them!"_

 _"No!" The raven-haired man protested. "I tried to save them." His eyes wandered back to his parents' bodies. They look lifeless on the ground. How can they not be when they were killed? Gray grumbled. "I-I tried to save them! I tried! I really did!"_

 _"Face it, young man! You killed them!"_

 _"No… No, I didn't!"_

 _"Yes, you did!" The older man lifted the knife above his head, ready to strike the young child before. "You did and now, it's time for you to follow them."_

"No!" Gray screamed, waking himself up from his slumber. He laid there on his bed for a few seconds, trying to regain self-control before slowly lifting himself up. He was covered in sweat and his breathing was shallow, like he was running a marathon for hours. His throat felt dry while his body trembled -maybe, from fear? Or was it from anger? He really didn't care because, all he knew was, it was only a dream -a terrible, _terrible_ dream.

Yet, why did it feel so real?

He hunched over as he gripped his hair, closing his eyes and evening his breathing. He was trying so hard to make some sense in the world yet, all of his attempts in calming down were all in vain.

Minutes passed, Gray truly didn't care how many, when suddenly he felt the presence of another person inside his room. He stiffened in his position, head still lowered on his palm, his eyes immediately opened though he didn't look at the intruder.

 _God damn it!_ Gray cursed, sweat began to form on the side of his head. _Who is it?!_

It _should've_ been simple. He could have lifted his head up to see the intruder yet, the thought of someone seeing how weak he looked like made him freeze in his position. He couldn't move -no, he didn't want to move, not now when someone could see how vulnerable he looked like; how weak he must've seem after screaming and thrashing on his bed.

"…L-Leave me alone." He stuttered in a hushed tone, not caring whether his intruder heard it or not. This wasn't like him. This wasn't like the Gray Fullbuster who swore to avenge his family. This wasn't like the Gray Fullbuster who was known as one of the best fighters within their organization.

This was _not_ like him.

He took a breath and exhaled. "I said, leave." This time, his voice sounded stern and full of anger. Abruptly, Gray lifted his head. He was about to scream at the other person but halted. He immediately shuddered when he saw who was the other person present in his room.

"…U-Ultear." Gray cleared his throat, trying to hide the nerves he's feeling. But, one look from the other raven-haired, he can clearly say that he cannot hide the fact that he was on the edge of breaking down. "W-What are you doing h-here?" He whispered, realizing that he must have made some noise that woke up the lady before him.

Despite the smile she received from the Fullbuster, the raven-haired lady knew that it was forced -and she didn't even try to hide her disdain even though all the other raven-haired wanted to do was ease her distress. On the contrary, his forced smile only elevated her uneasiness.

"I could hear your screams all the way to my room so, I went to check up on you," Ultear said in a hushed tone as she slowly made her way to the side of the male's bed. Her expression was stern yet, if one chooses to pay close attention, they would surely witness the much concern her eyes give away. "but when I knocked on your door, you didn't answer even after I banged it so many times -to the point of wanting to kick it open."

If this was like any other situation, Gray would have sweat-drop from her statement however, this was not anything like the other situations. This was serious.

She sat herself on the edge of his bed and expectedly, Gray recoiled back. "What was it about, Gray?" Asked Ultear as she caressed the young man's cheek, trying to sooth his nerves. Right now, she knew that she must take things slow and gentle. Though it was taxing her a bit since, she wants to know what's bothering him so badly but, she also knew that she can't force it out of him or else, he might simply block her out.

Her caressing didn't stop even after she saw the frown slowly disappearing from Gray's handsome features. "You can talk to me, Gray." She smiled, it was like they were back in the old days; when they weren't in so deep in this mess, when their minds weren't so exposed to the dark side of society, when they were still a little bit -just, a little -innocent. "You can trust me, Gray. You know you can."

Even with her urging, Gray continued to keep his mouth shut. "…It was nothing, Ultear." He lied, and he knew that Ultear knew that it was a lie. Seriously, he was having a nightmare earlier; screaming and thrashing for who-knows-how-long. If that wasn't enough to indicate that something was wrong then, he doesn't know what.

"Gray…" The raven-haired beauty sighed. "It's not fine to keep everything boiled inside. You need to talk to someone. You need to talk to me." She urged him a little more, knowing that she was slowly getting him to lower his walls. "You don't have to fight this on your own, Gray." She whispered, her hand stopped from caressing Gray's cheeks and she laid it on the balled fist of the young man.

Unconsciously, he took a breath and tears fell down his face. Those words were what he needed to hear. Right now, he needed someone to trust -with his pains, his miseries. But most of all, he needed someone to assure him that he is not alone.

He grabbed Ultear and hugged her tightly, shocking Ultear. Even when they were younger, Gray was never the person who seeks comfort by engulfing another person with an embrace; he would always keep everything to himself.

So the moment Gray embraced her, she was completely taken back. "Gray-" She halted the comfort from coming out of her mouth when she unexpectedly heard the whimpered coming from the other raven-haired.

He was crying. Gray Fullbuster, the ice prince of the organization, was crying in her shoulder.

"H-He killed them!" Gray suddenly shouted between his whimpers. His hold on Ultear tightening as clung for his sanity to come back.

And all Ultear was able to do was rub his back as she continuously says "I'm here, Gray. I'm always here."

 _I'm sorry, Gray._ Ultear thought guiltily, after all, she was the one who introduced their organization to the raven-haired; thinking that it may help him find the answers to his questions, to give him some clarity, and not satiate his anger by seeking revenge on the people that caused his pain. _I'm sorry for putting you into this. I'm sorry for causing you much more pain than you already have._

She hugged Gray tighter as he continued to tremble in her arms.

 _I'm here, Gray. I'll always protect you._

* * *

 _The car screeched as it halted in front of the Milkovich House, the headquarters of the rebels fighting against the corrupted society. Clearly, the driver of the vehicle was in a rush to get back. Once the engine of the car was turned off, one-by-one its occupants went out and in a haste, sprinting inside the house with only a single person in mind to reach._

 _The four men rushed pass the yard, slamming the front door open._

"… _Oh. Welcome…" Meredy, who was lounging in the living area with Sherria Blendy, weren't able to finish her greeting as the four men passed by the two ladies. "…back."_

 _They sprinted to the end of the corridor and entered the last room. There inside, they found Jellal Fernandes, the head of the rebel organization whose main purpose was to eradicate all the corruption and evil within Magnolia -and maybe even the entire Fiore._

" _Jellal, we've got it!" Announced Hibiki the moment they entered Jellal's study. "We've got the proof."_

 _Immediately, Jellal stood up from his seat, arms reaching out as Hibiki handed him the documents they found in the Heartfilia Mansion. Dark green eyes scanned the contents, eyes enlarging as the seconds passed. "This is…" Jellal Fernandes unconsciously muttered, looking stunned as he continued to read his colleagues' findings. After finally regaining his senses and remembering the presence of the four men in front of him, he sternly ordered, "I'm calling an emergency meeting. Call everyone whose available as of now."_

 _Without any moment to lose, Gajeel Redfox, Hibiki Lates, and Lyon Vastia rushed out of Jellal's office, leaving only the Fullbuster and the Fernandes inside the room._

" _This is it, right." Deep blues meeting dark green. "We got them now, right? We can finally prove their evil deeds."_

 _Jellal only sent a stern gaze toward Gray before saying, "That's for the entire organization to decide, Gray."_

 _Knowing that it was the end of their conversation, Gray turned around and head for the door to leave and look for the other members of their family._

 _After a few minutes, many people were cramped inside the meeting area, just beside Jella's office. They weren't able to completely gather everyone since, some were outdoing their assigned missions._

 _Jellal Fernandes stepped up to the front and officially began the emergency meeting. "As some of you may have heard, the information retrieval within the walls of the Heartfilia Mansion was a success and now," The blue-haired leader held up the many documents they now possessed to show to the others. Everyone looked pleased; others were in shock, not truly believing that they accomplished such a thing. Don't get them wrong. They truly believe in their comrades' skills however, entering and leaving such a guarded place like the Heartfilia Mansion during a very important event, at first, sounded so impossible yet, their comrades did it without a scratch._

 _That, in itself, felt like something may go wrong._

" _I called you here to gather your opinion as to what we are going to do from here on out." Jellal began, looking each of his comrades. The atmosphere immediately became more serious. "These documents contain blueprints of the city and even houses of many distinguished people," He looked at each of the occupants of the room. "as well as information about important individuals. It even contained transcript of conversations, pictures and the list of their daily routines." He sighed, this just showed how powerful their enemies are. It is not an easy feat to acquire such detailed information._

" _Now that we have these," He gestured again to the papers. "We may now actually have the advantage however, I want your opinion on what to do with them."_

 _The room stayed quiet, digesting everything that their leader had said._

 _Jellal Fernandes have made amazing decisions that led the organization to where they are now -and for him to question them for their opinions just showed how torn and uncertain he is with what may be the outcome whether they release or withhold such information._

 _Suddenly, the raven-haired on the far corner lifted his hand. "I say we release those information for the entire Magnolia to know." He calmly stated, firmly suggesting the release of the documents for the people to know. Others nodded their heads at his suggestion while some scrunched their face._

 _On the other hand, Lyon Vastia raised his hand to voice out his thoughts. "I suggest, we hold on to those documents and don't do anything rush. We can't be so certain about the validity of these information."_

 _Some nodded their head in agreement, convinced that they should wait a little longer and search for more clues to know more on what they can do with the new information._

" _I agree with Lyon." Mirajane Staruss, one of the Strauss siblings, said. "If we do anything hastily and without much precaution then, we may simply get caught in the middle of our mission." She explained, looking around at her fellow comrades. "We now have an idea how powerful our enemies are just by looking at what they have accomplished." She gestured at the papers near Jellal before continuing. "So, we must properly organize our movements and think of all possible future happenings, both better and worse occurrences."_

 _This time, most of the room's occupants agreed except for one. Gray Fullbuster's scowl deepen as the meeting went on. How can they possible let the chance slip? They have the evidences, they have the skills and manpower to reveal it to the entire Magnolia yet, why can't they just do it? Don't they want to achieve victory? Don't they want to claim justice for the people the aristocrats hurt?_

" _You cannot possibly let this once in a lifetime chance to slip!" Unexpectedly, Gray shouted with much rage, attracting all eyes on him. "How can you say that those documents are fake? Everything we needed to know are in those papers; their conversation is transcribed in it! Jude Heartfilia instigated these attacks -to my family, to yours, to Ultear's and to everybody else and he's willing to do it again yet, why are we here arguing about something like this when we can finally show to the entire Magnolia how despicable Jude Heartfilia is!" Gray sighed, trying to calm his rage. "What more do we need?"_

 _Silence engulfed the entire room as every single one of them can hear the desperation in the young man's voice. Honestly, they too are becoming desperate. Years have gone, and it was only now that they have found evidence worth keeping._

 _Jellal sighed, taking everything in consideration. Gray was right about somethings but, his mind tells him to side with Lyon and Mirajane. "Gray, we cannot release this information, not yet at least. That is not the only way to settle this. There will be more appropriate ways to let the people know of the secrets Jude Heartfilia hide." Jellal paused, looking only at Gray as he tried to convince the frustrated young man. "We cannot go to war without enough fire arm and yet think that we can win."_

" _Isn't those papers concrete enough?!"_

" _This" Jellal pointed to the documents on the table forcefully. "are not enough evidence. They only held profiles of numerous people, blueprints, and transcribed conversations–"_

" _Look at it this way, Jellal; how come Jude Heartfilia have this information?! What does he intend to do with it?!" Gray interrupted, not backing down. "Or better yet, what did he needed those information for?"_

" _We can't always assume things and jump into conclusions, Gray. If we do that and we made a mistake just by merely relying on these papers then, we may put the organization -even put everyone in jeopardy." Jellal calmly stated, thinking of the betterment of the organization and the people within it. "I'm not saying we shouldn't make any more moves but right now, we do not have enough evidence and force to go up against someone like Jude Heartfilia."_

 _Gray was lost. He knew he has lost the argument, but he searched for Ultear in the room. Surely, she will side with him. When he locked eyes with her, she merely shook her hand, indicating that he should stop -and all emotion was drained from his face._

 _Nobody was on his side._

 _The meeting continued yet, Gray was no longer with his comrades. All he can think about was the opportunity they are wasting. When the meeting was adjourned, he went his way to his room and locked himself there. He was so frustrated to the point that he doesn't want to see or speak with anybody._

 _And this scared Ultear Milkovich the most._

Ultear's gaze soften as she looked down at the young man in her arms. He had been crying a few minutes ago, for sure, the overwhelming feeling of the previous day has eaten him all up.

All she wanted was to end it all. All their miseries, their pain and even all their worries; to protect her family -Gray, Lyon, Meredy, Jellal and the entire organization.

Yes, all she wanted was for her to be his pillar of support -to be his sister, his family.

* * *

Lucy leaned her head on their car's window frame. She watched the view through the mirror -people were walking, some with friends and family having small talk while others were constantly on their phones, too oblivious of the happenings around them. Beside her sat Capricorn, the loyal butler of the Heartfilia's, who has been serving their family since she could remember.

Currently, the two were inside the sleek black car -of the many owned -of the Heartfilia's.

"After we visit your mother, Miss Lucy, you are requested by your father to attend the meeting with the Dragneel Transport Corporation. That meeting may take some time to finish since, everyone has known how hard it is to impress Mr. Igneel." Capricorn sighed; he was quite aware that the only reason Jude Heartfilia wanted the young lady to be in the meeting was because of the close bond she shares with the son of Igneel Dragneel.

He disapproves of his master's method of using the relationship between Lady Lucy and Natsu Dragneel however, whether he is the head butler or not, he still doesn't have a say to his master's decision.

Thus, all he can do is follow Jude Hearftilia's orders -even if it causes him to have a heavy heart.

"Next, would be the meeting with the Marvell Medical Corporation. Master Jude wants to –" Even before Capricorn could finish listing of her duties for the day, Lucy suddenly interrupted.

Lucy sighed. "Explain to me why I'm needed in the meeting?" Lucy suddenly interrupted after being silent since they have left the mansion, totally not seeing what her presence can provide in that session. "Certainly, father can accomplish anything without my help."

Capricorn sighed. "Master Jude must have seen your potential, Miss Lucy; and now, wants to train you for once you are to step up and lead the Heartfilia Konzern.

 _That doesn't sound right._ Lucy countered, knowing fully well that her father does not intend to leave the business industry for quite some time. _Now that the company is much stronger than ever, I doubt father would simply step down from his position._

"I doubt that, Capricorn." She answered, making eye contact with their trusted butler just to show her seriousness. "I mean, why _now_? If he really did, _finally_ , saw that I am capable of leading the company then, he should've have trained me many years ago -when I was trying to impress him; when I was trying so hard to make him realize that I am a worthy heiress."

The loyal butler made no reply, just keeping his mouth shut -not wanting to further upset the heiress. Nonetheless, he somehow shares the same sentiment as the young blonde beside him. He knew she was trying her hardest to please the master of the house since she was little however, from the moment Lady Layla passed away, Jude Heartfilia's demeanor completely made an undesirable turn. He became colder and greedier for power. He wanted to be the most superior human being in the business industry and whoever dared to cross him -well, let's just say, Capricorn doubted they would ever do it again.

As they say, dead men tell no tale.

The rest of their ride, Lucy and Capricorn were not of speaking terms. Though, she was not in a very pleasing mood to begin the day with, the earlier discussion with their head butler only flared the resistance she felt for her father. It was not the butler's fault for putting her in her current mood however, she was too irritated to tell him she was sorry for her dramatics.

The silence did a wonderful job in calming her thoughts down. It made her clear and organize her own thoughts and the moment they crossed the gates of the graveyard, her mood suddenly turned even glummer as she remembered the few memories she had left of her beloved mother. To be truthful, she was too young to fully remember her dear mother but, that doesn't mean she didn't care or love her -after all, she wouldn't be here without her mom.

As the car halted a few meters away from Layla Heartfilia's tombstone, Lucy and Capricorn left the confinements of the vehicle. The Heartfilia's head butler escorted the young heiress to her mother's tombstone but, halted himself a few meters away to give them the privacy they needed.

"Hello, mother." Lucy whispered after she placed the bouquet of white roses on the ground. "I've come to visit you."

Lucy smiled -a sad yet gentle smile. "…Mother." She gasped, trying to hold back the tears that was about to come. She has been through a lot, and knowing that she has no one to fully confine his woes and troubles to, hurts even more. "Many things have happened."

She took a deep breath and smiled one more time. This time, she has composed and readied herself for what she was about to say. "Mom, I'm finally engaged with Sting Eucliffe. After years of gushing over him like a lost puppy in love. Finally, we're going to be together." As she said those words, she can clearly hear the hesitation on her voice.

She asked herself, when did this happen? When did she hesitated on getting married with one of the most desirable bachelor in the entire Magnolia? When unconsciously, deep blue orbs flashed in her head.

Yes, now she remembered. Her continuous encounter with the mysterious dark blue haired man hunts her every She would be lying if she does not say that she's anticipating their next unexpected encounter. And maybe, just maybe, her feelings for him began to sway.

"Mother," she began, confusion evident in her eyes. "…am I doing the right thing?" Lucy Heartfilia has always known was she wanted in life. She was always sure of the decisions she made but now, after meeting the man named 'Gray', she began to doubt the choices she is making. There was something about the man; something dangerously captivating by showing her new sides of the spectrum, like saying that she can be part of something bigger and better.

"Miss Lucy," Suddenly the head butler was on her side, bring her back from her reverie. "We must get going now. Master Jude is expecting us in about half an hour." Capricorn informed, and her only response was a nod.

Lucy gazed down at her mother's tombstone and whispered, "It's good to see you, mom. I'll come visit you again sometime." She went back to their vehicle and stepped inside, already dreading her arrival at the main office of the Hearfilia Konzern and going to the meeting with her father.

As the sleek black car passes through the gates of the graveyard, she caught a glimpse of a familiar young man. Immediately, Lucy ordered the driver to stop the car. She went out of the sleek car and gazed at the man before her, deep blues meeting soft brown once more.

She couldn't believe it. She was only thinking about him a few minutes ago.

As she continued to gaze at his azure orbs, she unconsciously muttered, "…Gray?"

* * *

 ** _Jeuel's corner: i know i haven't been active for a looooooong time but, i assure you, i am not abandoning this story. i'm just taking my time in making it. thank you to all the readers out there who followed, reviewed and clicked on the favorite button. i really appreciate it and i long for your opinions about my writing or just simply my story. if you have any suggestions, don't be afraid to shout! ;) also, a quick reminder, english is not my first language so, please excuse my wrong grammar and other errors. i will try to do better in the future._**

 ** _i hope you'll like this chapter._**

 ** _see you soon._**


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